What does a thriving autistic life look like?
Come with me on a journey of self discovery around life, work, fulfilment and figuring out what you want, what you actually need to live a happy and authentic autistic life, and where to start.
~ Enrolment for Thrive is now closed ~
What does a thriving autistic life look like?
Come with me on a journey of self discovery around life, work, fulfilment and figuring out what you want, what you actually need to live a happy and authentic autistic life, and where to start.
~ Enrolment for Thrive is now closed ~
If you’ve recently been diagnosed or self identified as autistic, and/or you’re in burnout (or coming out of burnout) and want to explore creating a life and work that will meet your autistic needs, this is for you.
This is a 12-week program of reflections, questions, journalling and exercises that I’ve developed from my own experiences and learning. It’s designed to take autistic women and nonbinary people like you on a journey of self discovery around your autistic identity and figuring out what you want out of life – and where to start.
I’ve been investing in my own personal development since 2014, when I was still an undiagnosed high school teacher deep in burnout, convinced I was trapped in that role and that life forever.
Since then, I’ve seen first hand the power of both one-to-one and group coaching and mentoring. I’ve had some huge breakthroughs personally, professionally and financially, and I’ve manifested things into my life as a direct result of a combination of mindset work and taking action (that action bit is important!).
I’m not holding myself up as any kind of ‘guru’; we are all on the same journey and in this together. I am the facilitator, there to hold space for you and walk alongside you.
I’m not a millionaire (not even close! 😂). I don’t run a 6-figure business. But I have changed my work and life to meet my needs as an autistic woman with health challenges. I’ve attracted people who are on my wavelength, who I enjoy working with.
And I’ve managed to thrive, despite being unable to work full time.
What previous participants are saying about Thrive…
“Thrive is definitely worth the investment and Amy is a wonderful, thoughtful teacher who goes above and beyond to help her Thrivers.
For the first time in my life, I feel that it is okay and SAFE to be myself, and I have been able to let go of other people’s expectations of what I should be doing and how. I have also become a lot more tolerant and accepting of other people’s challenges and problems.
I have thoroughly enjoyed Amy’s teaching videos, she has such a lovely way of explaining things and getting your brain going. There is so much hope and positivity, and it is nice to hear these things when you’ve ‘failed’ at life for so long.”
This was such a life changing experience.
“I love that I got to work with you personally – that was such a huge piece of this for me, actually getting to know you after having listened to your podcast for so long.
I really appreciated the way that you helped to drive the conversation in the group. It was a good way to keep pulling me back in; even if I couldn’t fully engage with the module at the time, to be able to come and hear what other people were saying was really helpful.
My biggest takeaway from this group and experience has been redefining rest and the things that are supportive for me, the things that I had cut out as not as important. It’s really, really helpful. This was such a life changing experience. Thank you for what you’re modelling. It really makes a difference.”
“Well worth it. Be prepared to get out of it as much or more than you put into it.
I had 2 big lightbulb moments during these sessions. I got clarity on a big career project that I’ve been toying with in my head for years. And I realised that the work that has to come first for me right now is my own personal work of understanding and self-acceptance. I took away some concrete tools to use in both these areas.
It was so validating to hear the other participants’ stories and struggles that so closely mirrored my own. This was the first time I’ve ever gotten an opportunity like that. If you’ve been recently diagnosed, or if you’re still in the process of figuring out how to rework your life to support your own wellbeing, you will definitely find Thrive helpful.”
I want to share with you what I’ve learned over the past 10 years about coming to terms with a late autism diagnosis/self identification, understanding yourself better, self care, mindset, attraction, taking action, and re-imagining (and building) a new life as a newly diagnosed autistic adult after a career-ending burnout.
Let’s get started.
All the details…
🌟 This is a 12-week self-study program, with a private community group for discussion, support and connection with the other participants, live group Zoom calls, and the option for 1:1 support with me.
🌟 As soon as you sign up, you’ll get login access to the learning portal, where you’ll find an Prework module ready for you to get started right away. Then every 2 weeks a new module will appear, with videos, audios and a workbook.
🌟 Over the 12 weeks I’ll take you through a series of exercises (video and audio) and journalling prompts designed to make you think and go deep into your needs and desires in life, figure out what you want and where to start in building your ideal life as a late-diagnosed autistic person.
🌟 There’s a workbook for each session, which you can choose to print out or fill in on your computer (or if you prefer you can use your own journal/notebook, or record your reflections on a voice app, or any other way that feels right for you).
🌟 There’ll be an opportunity for you to share your thoughts and observations and discuss the things that come up for you with me and the other Thrive participants in the private community group, should you wish to.
🌟 We’ll have 3 live group calls (via Zoom) during the 12 weeks of the program, where you’ll get to meet the other participants, share your experiences and reflect together on your Thrive journey.
🌟 There’s an option to add three 1:1 sessions with me (via Zoom), one at the start of the program, one during, and one at the end.
The program
I’ve created Thrive™ based on my own journey over the past 10 years – what I’ve learned from experience, from talking to other autistic people, and through investing in my self development.
The program began as two rounds of live workshops in 2022, and I used those tried-and-tested materials and the feedback and experience of delivering them with groups and revised and tweaked to create the Thrive program, first delivered in autumn 2023.
All the modules are centred around the autistic experience and our particular needs as neurodivergent adults.
Prework: Meet Your Future Self
Who do you want to be? What do you want to be, do and have – if you could have anything? In the Prework I take you through a powerful (and fun!) exercise that has helped me bring about massive change in my own life.
Module 1: Rebuilding and Reconnecting
Who are you really, under the mask? This module is all about beginning the process of rebuilding yourself from the ground up, through reconnecting with your younger/unmasked self.
Module 2: Bridging the Gap
In this module we look at where you are now, and focus on bridging the gap between past, present and future you. We think about your specific needs as an autistic person, how you can discover/rediscover/tap into your autistic joy, your relationships with yourself and others, and what you actually need to be happy, secure and fulfilled.
Module 3: Exploring Your ‘Why’
What’s the purpose behind what you do and love? This is important to a lot of people, but seems to be especially so for autistic people. In this session we tap into your life philosophy, higher purpose and special interests and discover how these might connect with your future life and work.
Module 4: Mindset
In this session we examine your beliefs (and self belief), the stories you tell yourself and the stories you’ve inherited and absorbed, and explore how you can empower yourself to improve your self talk, love and accept yourself as you are (while always learning, and striving to be the best ‘you’ you can be) and create a life that feels more like you – one that fits your authentically autistic self better.
Module 5: Toolkit
What’s in your Autistic Toolkit™? Some of us will have more than others, but I think most of us late-identified, high-masking autistic adults have probably (consciously or unconsciously) developed a toolkit of strategies and life hacks to help us manage our autistic challenges and navigate the world. In this module we explore your toolkit, evaluate what’s still of value and what’s no longer serving you, and see what else you can add to your toolkit to enhance and enrich your future self.
Module 6: Action!
I don’t know about you, but I know I live in my head a LOT. It’s important that we don’t get stuck in ‘research mode’ – or dream big dreams that we forget to actually take action on.
Now it’s time for some strategy, planning and practical steps to start moving you forward into the next stage of your life and career/business/work. This session is all about taking action – however small.
What previous participants are saying about Thrive…
“The questions you asked us to think about during the sessions and in the workbook made me think about things I’d never thought about before. I had a breakthrough about unmasking, what it means for me, how to do it more.
The workshops have really boosted my self acceptance. They’re a great way of processing this huge thing that is realising you’re autistic.”
“Thrive will definitely help you with making decisions that are right for you. From my own experience, I had a realisation about what I should be doing and why and how towards the end of Thrive. I’m trying to think of a way to say this that doesn’t sound woo-woo – you already have the solutions. What Thrive offers is the safety and support to unmask and explore and be authentic and trust yourself.”
“If you have recently self-identified or been diagnosed, Thrive offers a portal to reconnecting with your true self and better understanding your needs, so that you can begin to create a more authentic life.
The prompts and examples from Amy’s own experiences were really helpful to explore and uncover what my needs actually are and how I might begin to live a more authentic life.”
“Since enrolling in Thrive I have a better understanding of myself and how my autism has shaped who I am. It has been quite emotional! What was most helpful was thinking about what I need to make my future a joyful one.
I think Thrive is really helpful for wherever you are on your autism journey. Amy has so much insight, and although my life is completely different to hers I learned so much about myself. I particularly enjoyed the group Zoom session – I find it really hard to connect with people over social media so it was lovely to meet other women.”
“The most helpful parts were hearing about Amy’s experiences and process, and hearing what other group members were looking to change and adjust. My biggest takeaway was learning to have more awareness of what works and makes me happy, considering small adjustments and tweaks here and there that could make a difference, and changing my mindset around these.
The content of the workshops will continue to permeate and I will keep going back to the worksheets and refine.”
“I signed up for Thrive to take a look at where I am now and have the space to think about the near future and beyond. Doing the workshops has given me the time to think, and be guided in that process, in thinking about how to live an authentic autistic life going forwards.
My biggest takeaway is seeing how fundamentally important it is to live in an authentically autistic way. It’s focused me into starting to do the necessary thinking about my life.
It’s been wonderful.”
“During Thrive I’ve gained in self knowledge and learnt about how my internalised ableism has affected me. As I am fairly recently diagnosed it was good to hear about Amy’s experiences and those of the group, it validated my own feelings.
I found the whole approach in Thrive helpful, that you could go at your own pace, that there was time built into the course to reflect. That you did not have to participate in the group if you didn’t want to, but if you did people would respond to you with their experiences. It was good to have the opportunity to do a live session; I personally found it impactful and it made my diagnosis more real to me, seeing other people in the same situation.”
Amy’s honest examples from her own life in the course materials helped me start to think through my own life journey with more self-acceptance.
I enjoyed meeting other autistic people – both Amy and the participants – and finding out a little of what makes them tick. It was the first time I had (knowingly!) met peers in this way.I would recommend adding on the optional 1:1 calls with Amy as a way of processing the course ideas more deeply and getting some thoughtful outside input.”
The 1:1 calls
If you’d like the opportunity to speak with me 1:1 during the program, I’m offering an option to have three live sessions with me (on Zoom) as part of the Thrive™ program.
One at the start of the program, where you can share your story with me, and I can help you get clarity around the main areas you want to focus on and what would be a great outcome for you.
One during the program, to talk through what’s come up for you in the first few modules and what your self discoveries might mean for you.
One after the program is over, to reflect on your discoveries over the 12 weeks and talk about your next steps.
This optional extra is for you if…
✨ You’d like to share your story/journey with me
✨ It helps you to have some 1:1 support/input
✨ You’d like extra opportunities to reflect and process your thoughts out loud during this journey
✨ You’d benefit from some added accountability to encourage you to stick with and complete the program.
“I would recommend adding on the optional 1:1 calls with Amy as a way of processing the course ideas more deeply and getting some thoughtful outside input.”
~ Helen
“I love that I got to work with you personally – that was such a huge piece of this for me, actually getting to know you after having listened to your podcast for so long. This was such a life changing experience. Thank you for what you’re modelling, it really makes a difference.”
~ Caitlin O’Brient Bauer
BONUS ENERGY SESSION:
When you sign up for the 1:1 calls you will also be offered the opportunity to have a 1:1 Energy Clearing session with me, designed to help you feel courageous, unapologetic, undaunted, heartened, empowered and self-assured so that you can feel more comfortable in your own skin and move forward into the life you desire.
The session is designed to clear blocks from your energy system around self worth, self trust, judgement, self sabotage, abundance and joy.
Enrolment for Thrive is now closed
If you’re interested in coming with me on a journey of self discovery around life, work, fulfilment and figuring out what you want, what you actually need as an autistic adult, and where to start, you can let me know by popping your details in the waitlist form below:
~ I’ll be in touch as soon as enrolment opens for the next round! ~
FAQs
I'm self identified as autistic - not 'officially' diagnosed. Is that a problem?
Absolutely not!
Personally I believe that self identification is 100% valid. Diagnosis can be unattainable for many people for all sorts of reasons, and people don't tend to identify strongly as autistic without good reason.
So if you're self-identified, you're very welcome to enrol.
Do I have to live in the UK or a nearby time zone?
No, you can be anywhere in the world to do this - it's a self study program with a private Facebook group, so no need to be in the same time zone as me.
The only possible challenge might be if you opt to have 1:1 calls with me (these are optional) - but I've recorded podcast episodes with people all over the world, and we've always managed to find a time we could both make, so this shouldn't be a problem. But feel free to email me to check.
Can I pay in instalments?
Yes, there is a 3-month payment plan available.
Is there an option to pay by card if I don’t have a PayPal account?
Yes, if you click on the PayPal button at checkout you'll see an option to 'Pay with debit or credit card'. Click this to be able to pay without using a PayPal account.
When does Thrive™ start?
Enrolment is currently closed; I've not fixed a date yet, but the next round of Thrive will probably happen sometime in the autumn of 2024.
What will happen once I sign up?
You’ll receive a welcome email with your login details for the Squarepeg Members site, where you’ll find the Prework module ready for you to start right away.
A new module will appear every two weeks.
You’ll also receive an invitation to the private Thrive members group.
If you have any questions before we start, or at any point during the 12 weeks, you can email or ask in the group.
If you’ve opted to have live calls with me, you’ll find the link to book these in your welcome email.
How is the program delivered?
The 6 self-study modules are delivered in a series of videos, audios and workbooks.
There is also a private Thrive community group, which is where you can talk to other participants, share your thoughts and experiences and ask questions.
During the 12 week program we will have three 1-hour live group Zoom calls.
And if you would like to have some 1:1 sessions with me (over Zoom), there is an option to add these at checkout.
Are there any live sessions?
Yes! During the 12 week program we will have three 1-hour live group Zoom calls, which all participants are welcome to attend.
Is the program accessible?
Each module is delivered in a series of videos, audios and workbooks, and there will be transcripts of all audios and videos available to download. So you can choose how to interact with the material depending on your needs and preferences.
Can the Thrive™ resources be downloaded and saved to refer back to?
You can download the workbooks and transcripts, but not the audios or videos. But once you are a Thrive™ member, you'll have access to all the materials via the learning platform for the lifetime of the program, so you'll be able to revisit any part of the program whenever you want.
Would I be missing out significantly if I chose not to join the Thrive community group?
A lot of people who've gone through the different rounds of Thrive really appreciated the opportunity to hear about other people's experiences and share with each other. But because not everyone wants or needs this, the Thrive Community group isn't compulsory. It's there for those who want it. All important info will be shared in the member portal and/or by email, and there will be an opportunity to meet other participants on the group calls.
“It already feels worthwhile – I’ve made some changes/decisions and I’m definitely moving forward. Thank you for doing this and for leading us through the sessions in a way that feels safe.”
“I just wanted to say how useful this whole hour has been. These questions and reflections are just so nourishing and needed and necessary. I feel like I want to go over it again in my own time as well, because I’m only just skimming the surface, but I’m pretty blown away by how helpful this is.”
“It’s so brilliant to have something that’s made for someone like me, instead of listening to something and thinking, ‘Oh, okay, I need to adapt that, so it fits me in the way I work, my brain.’ Thank you.”
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